Doctor Who: Dawn of the Vardez
by Golden Suze
Summary: After his 24 year date with River Song had come to a rather romantic and emotional end on Darillium, The Doctor now finds himself accompanied by Nardole, who has recently been freed from Hydroflax's body and in a human body of his own. Together they start their first adventure together and find themselves coming to the rescue of a young upcoming female musician.
1. Chapter 1

**As filming is starting today(20th June) on Series 10. Of course we don't really know what's going to happen yet in S10 Ep1 but I've decided to do my own take through fanfiction. Hope this fanfic will be enjoyed by fanfic readers.**

* * *

 **Doctor Who: The Dawn of The Vardez  
**

 **Chapter One**

Nardole, River Song's loyal and faithful friend was now getting round to the fact, he had a newly restored body and was now free from the sweaty depths of Hydroflax's armor. Well he had both Doctor Song and The Doctor to thank for this amazing effort.

The Doctor, who was clearly longing for his wife and seemed quieter than usual, seemed happy to have Nardole for company. He had earned the respect and earned himself a fan in Nardole because of the great length he went to, to reattach the young man's head to the right body.

"How can I ever thank you Doctor, for you working your marvelous mind in finding me a new body."

"Just don't kiss me...it's just... a lot of people tend to choose that as an option with me." His eyebrows seemed to help with describing this far more better than the way the velvet tones of his voice described this story.

"Oh right." Nardole nods his head understandingly before curiously wondering what else he should ask or suggest. "Well, can I at least give you a hug then? You know as my way of thanking you ...for all you've done for me."

"I don't see why not. My friend Rory...well River's father Rory, don't know if River mentioned her parents to you. They were good friends of mine. He once almost hugged the life out of me, so much so the hug almost caused me to regenerate."

After listening quietly to how The Time Lord had spoken about this previous awkward scenario, Nardole felt he should go gentle with hugging his friend and make sure there's no chance of him regenerating because of his hug. Seeing as he was the smaller person, he rose up on his toes and gave The Doctor a light squeeze of a hug. He hadn't hugged anyone, so the whole hugging business certainly showed the fact that, the two men had one or two things in common with each other.

The Doctor looked the less nervous of the two of them as well as being pleasantly happy with welcoming this hug. When they eventually pulled away, Nardole looked more jollier and laid back as he was now attempting to work one tough problem...introducing himself to the TARDIS. He had more or less been told by Doctor Song, talking to the blue box itself can do you the world of good and help you to gain the old girl's trust.

The Time Lord paced around the controls. Having Nardole on board with him was the best thing for him right now because he couldn't bare the thought of time traveling alone. "So which wonderful, spectacular planet have you always wanted to visit, Nardole?"

"Well...to be honest Doctor. I've always wanted to visit...Earth."

The Doctior's grin of optimism faded somewhat, as he started to take in the news of yet another trip to Earth. He had hoped for a completely different change of scene this time around. Perhaps he was due another visit to Arcadia or Avalon, hopefully he might be able to persuade Nardole to see these planets for himself as well.

"Earth always seems to be a popular destination with my companions."

"Companions? Does this mean I'm your companion too Doctor?"

"Well...I suppose it does."

"Ooh I feel all giddy, now I'm getting to see other planets throughout the galaxy. It feels like all of my Christmasses rolled into one." Nardole's jolly, flamboyant behaviour was the loveliest and happiest thing The Doctor had seen in a long time.

Even a smile manages to slip so pleasantly from his lips, from the exact moment he positioned his hand over the lever at the controls. He glances over towards where Nardole was sitting and gave him useful advice straight away. "Best hold onto something tight Nardole, things are about to get a whole lot bumpy."

"Oh...well I hope it isn't going to be bumpier than when my head ended up in Hydroflax's armor." He was trying so hard not to panic over the TARDIS crash landing somewhere on Earth. So putting on a prepared brave front felt like the only right thing to do. Once The Doctor had initiated the lever safely, both of Nardole's hands therefore grabbed onto the cold surfaced railing behind him, as soon as the time machine started to take a few knocks and jolts.

"Whatever you do Nardole...don't panic. When the TARDIS has a few bumpy knocks in one go, it can actually be surprisingly easy for companions to get use to especially even after the first or second time of experiencing it." The best way to calm down his friend was simply to be as completely honest as possible, whether it worked or not was another story.

The TARDIS jolted from left to right, as The Doctor secured his left hand to the bar on the opposite side, by handcuffing it. He saw Nardole through his nervous veneer, suddenly looking surprised by the appearance of the handcuffs. He wasn't sure how to explain, how he had ended up with owning a pair of handcuffs. Perhaps his cheerful friend had cleverly worked the reason for them being in The Time Lord's possession.

The landing happened quicker than the two of them had genuinely expected. Wherever or whenever they now found themselves in time, they weren't exactly sure. The Doctor keyed in 1981, a year which River had described as one of her favourite ever years of Earth. The plan was to uncover why this was apparently so and to not disrupt their timeline in the process, depending on whether he crossed paths with her slightly younger self.

Smoke billowed thickly around and beyond every part of the controls room. Nardole could hardly see anything, as he tried to look for anything familiar around him. He heard loud coughing and then saw a figure waving their arm frantically like a crazy bird. The figure quickly emerged through the smoke... it was The Doctor, his fluffy hair certainly looked more wild and wackier than ever.

"I think... we're here." He announced, while he was busy tiding himself up and making sure his hair looked presentable. He failed to notice one important thing...he was missing his left shoe.

 **xxxxx**

Wembley, London - Present day

Two people - two men were waiting outside the women's toilets for someone they regarded as important. Yet they gave a strong impression they weren't impressed by the fact, the person was keeping them waiting for far too long.

"I can't be standing here forever . I'm done with waiting. Seeing as you've got the patience of a saint Daniel...it's all on your shoulders now, trying your best at talking our talented artist to finally put in an appearance." The unnamed individual suggested to his young assistant.

"She's just nervous. You know, I don't blame her for feeling like this because of all the pressure, you've been putting her through these last few weeks."

"What are you trying to say Daniel?" The expression on the man's face said what needed to be said. He considered firing the young man on the spot because of the obvious way he had chosen to criticize him.

"Well I think you're a..." The working relationship between the pair looked wobbly to say the least.

The door then opened unexpectedly to reveal a smart and beautiful woman standing in front of them.

"I'm ready Simon." She spoke with a clear North London accent.

"Oh, nice of you to finally show to make an appearance at long last...Bill." Simon addressed her by her name.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are welcome**


	2. Chapter 2

**Doctor Who: The Dawn of The Vardez  
**

 **Chapter Two  
**

Seeking adventure and the newest of surroundings, Nardole soon allowed himself to learn just what exactly Earth had to offer him, as soon as he wandered outside and quickly gasped in amazement upon seeing where they'd landed. He'd left The Doctor alone inside the TARDIS, to extinguish any flames around the controls. Nardole knew his friend was no doubt missing his wife and attempting to cover up this fact up as best as he can.

"Just wait there. I'm almost finished in here." The Doctor called to him. The echo of his voice made it clear to tell, a few certain matters weren't going the way he originally planned - mainly the chances of him seeing River again were slowly but surely etching away and he couldn't do anything to stop this from happening.

"Oh I don't plan on leaving you behind, Doctor. I promised Doctor Song, I wouldn't abandon you and that's a promise I'm determined to stick to, no matter what."

That's very kind of you to do, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Well I'm always happy to help out a friend in need, whenever I feel I'm required to do so."

The conversation soon derailed itself on course, seeing as The Doctor decided to tell off 'the Old Girl' for letting off steam not long ago. This slightly confused Nardole to a certain extent, as he eavesdropped on what was being said on the other side of the blue doors. "Ah finally. Now we've been through this before...the fact you think I need to pay more attention to your warnings and how you like to try and cheer me up with unfashionable headwear. Please no hologramatic antlers this time. They make me look like a lost guest at a Christmas office party. Thank you."

He casually steps out from the TARDIS, once he's ensured the TARDIS doesn't decide to start misbehaving herself.

"Everything alright Doctor?" Nardole asked, hoping he hadn't upset him for some inexplicable reason.

"Everything's fine. Usually by now, whoever is accompanying me makes their mission to beg or talk me into finding the nearest tourist attraction. " He happily confirms, there's nothing to worry about and that they ought to move along before someone acknowledges them.

"I'm nothing of the sort. No I'm more or less, ' the follow the leader type of person'." Nardole admitted this always happens to be the case with him.

"That's good to know." The Time Lord seemed pleasantly happy to learn this about his friend. This meant he had nothing to feel stressed or frustrated about.

"Doctor Song did tell me once when my head was still stuck inside Hydroflax...You can be a brilliant. eccentric and show off at times. She's never wrong about anything. "

"No she isn't." The Doctor smiled fondly. He looked in reflective mood as he was reminded once more, just how badly he was missing his wife.

Nardole was soon able to work out where their current location possibly was, he just couldn't work out whether they were in the past, present day or somewhere in the future. "Is it just me, that's thinking it's really really hard to tell the difference between the present and the future?"

The Doctor laughs softly and smiles again, soon as he overhears him asking this very question. He doesn't take too long to provide an answer.

"Oh it's a common complication with anyone who chooses to time travel with me in the TARDIS. It's never a problem for me though because I have my tricks and ways of knowing where I end up throughout time and space." The Doctor flickers his tongue against the finger before his thumb and then from that brief action, he's quickly able to determine where they are now.

"2017...The Vardez battle, whatever that is..I suppose that's something for me to look forward to witnessing firsthand and then finding myself being a part of quite soon. Sounds exciting enough." He grinned. His shiny teeth showing the clearest hints of this.

"What's this Vardez by the way?"

"No idea, presumably they're a race I haven't met yet."

 **xxxxx**

Two news reporters are currently reporting on two new sinkholes which have recently opened up somewhere in London and Paris. Meanwhile as Bill's music recording is ending, her manager seems to be paying far less attention to her singing and more attention to a swollen bruise which had become visible over his right wrist. He was even behaving out of character, which hardly came as a surprise to his long suffering assistant.

"Always the drama queen as per usual Simon. Here's Bill singing her heart and all you're caring about is whatever caused that bruised wrist of yours."

"I need air...I need air...God damn it!" Simon gasped, his face pained as well as turning a blueberry colour. He couldn't breath nor speak normally, it was as if something was tightly clenching the muscles within his neck. Whatever symptoms he was experiencing did look like usual poorly symptoms, which someone would suddenly find themselves affected with.

Bill rushed over to where Simon had collapsed. She knelt down, intending to feel his pulse "Oh my god. Daniel, you've poisoned him." Her first thought, suspecting Daniel of foul play.

"I know he can be a right pain in the arse sometimes because of the way he talks to us and everything but one thing I'm not is someone who wants to kill their boss." Daniel had been pushed to having thoughts of punching his boss' lights out but resorting to desperate measures, there was no way of that happening with him. Daniel Murray was a bright spark and a clever looking young man. Music was his calling and as a guitarist he had always considered giving up his day job. Perhaps playing the backing sounds for Bill's studio performances could be a good way in getting his guitar playing off to the greatest of starts.

The hair-raising sight of Simon, her manager lying unconscious wasn't the only thing which caused Bill and Daniel to panic, nobody else had come in to check on the three of them. Everyone who happened to be present in the studio over 45 minutes were now nowhere to be found.

As Bill went to get back up on her feet, she felt a hand forcefully grabbing her left wrist. She didn't scream nor fight back; she simply froze, not knowing what to do as she soon realized that it was Simon's hand trying to squeeze the life out of her. Daniel however, decided to bravely fight back against him.

"Look I know I said I wasn't capable of hurting someone...well then please forgive me for what now I'm about to do." Daniel used a folder to batter the now zombie-like Simon's hand away from Bill's wrist. "This is for the all the times, you called me names and treated me like a guinea pig for when you were in a bad mood!" It took six chances before her wrist was eventually freed from Simon's grip.

Both Daniel and Bill fled the studio, they ran along the nearest corridors as fast they possibly can. "What's happening?" She shouted, looking confused as well as scared.

"We're being attacked, that's what happening and if we don't get ourselves out of here soon, we could find ourselves ending up like Simon." Daniel seemed to want to reassure her, escaping was their only option right there and then.

They stayed ahead of any further potential danger that lurked around every corner, while they ran for their lives. Another person appeared by the main entrance, she was the receptionist who greeted the three of them an hour ago. She wasn't her friendly self because she certainly appear to be behaving different and strange as she tried to move towards Bill and Daniel. Judging from her appearance it was pretty easy to tell that she was now drenched in cold water and how she possessed a menacing look in her eyes.

"I've never really felt comfortable in this place. I always felt there might be something weird about it, like it might be haunted." Bill shared her worst fears as she carried on running.

Once the two of them reached the main entrance waiting area, they soon discovered much to their horror, - the building was in complete lockdown and there was nowhere else to escape to.

"I'm not a fan of horror films, so right now I'm beginning to wish the both of us hadn't found ourselves caught up in this one." Daniel wasn't up for fighting off whatever the employees of the music studios had since become - zombies or freaks.

They weren't alone, whether it was another person who may look infected in the same way as Simon had become. Daniel dreaded thinking the worst feeling the worst nightmare ever, if ever it were to become a reality, as he and Bill optimistically searched for any other way out from this contemporary yet under threat building.

Two other individuals had somehow stumbled upon this looming mayhem. Bill managed to catch a glimpse of one of them wandering around. He was a much older looking man wearing a long flowing dark coat, his fluffy hair a salt and pepper-like colour, his eyebrows looked mighty and his accent sounded more or less Scottish.

"Bill what are you doing?" Daniel asked, careful not to raise his voice... in case it alerted the two strangers who were only a few meters away from where they were. He had duly noted, how Bill had been staring curiously at the oldest one of the two individuals for more than two minutes.

"Doctor, what are you hoping to find in here? I mean it doesn't look like a typical place to look for presents."

"Nardole I'm not looking for presents, I'm looking for documents, anything that might help me with learning more about the secrets of this building."

"Secrets of this building?"

"Yes. 10 earth years ago, there were rumours a spaceship might be buried beneath it...it may even still be to this very day. The ship belongs to an alien race known as the Vardez. Apparently they drain the energy in your body via water supply and fruit grown from seeds planted in the ground. You see, nobody's really known not even myself, what they hope to achieve from these actions they cause upon humans."

"Well, hurry up then. We don't want go getting ourselves caught red-handed and mistaken for thieves." Nardole wasn't doing a good job of staying on lookout duty, seeing how Bill had quietly crept up and was now ready to confront the pair, on what they were doing there.

"I think it's too late for that." Bill spoke out, making Nardole jump with fright in the process.

He and The Doctor both acknowledged the two other people standing amongst them within the waiting area. Nardole was the more nervous between him and The Doctor, who decided to opt to charming his way out of this latest situation.

"My apologies. You see I left my phone somewhere around here sometime this morning. So when me and my friend here, came back to ask if the receptionist could help me, if trying to track it down. We found there was no one around and I, being impatient decided to look for it myself."

"I don't believe you because I think you're responsible for what's happened to the people who work here. How do I know you could be even one of them." Bill accused him without any hesitation whatsoever. Daniel and Nardole looked on, with surprised looks on their faces.

"A. The misplaced phone story is actually true, it was given to me by an important person in my life. B. Yes I lied about the other half of the story because the phone is well...no probably not best to explain, you wouldn't understand or believe me." The Doctor said quietly to himself, he cleverly made sure she was fortunate enough to overhear the second part of the thoughts he shared with himself.

"Okay, why are you and your friend really here then? I want to know the truth. I heard you telling your friend about some creatures called The Vardez, how badly can they poison water and fruit?"

You know, for a singer you've certainly got one very impressive memory. I hope you don't mind me saying so." The Doctor grinned at her, intently. She sure had left a remarkable first impression upon him.

Bill herself was left staggered by how he had known what her profession was. "How do you know I perform music?"

"Oh it's nothing...just that I have smart enough ways of guessing from the way a person is dressed and the manner of how they stand up to me." He laughed off her questions and got right down to snswering them the only way he knew best.

The Doctor hardly said a word to Daniel, even blanking him when the young man made two attempts to introduce himself.

Bill suddenly turned to face Nardole and got straight to quizzing him about The Doctor. "Is he always like this? Charming his way out of a situation and behaving rudely in front of us?"

"I wouldn't know Ma'am. He's not as ordinary as you may wonder. He's had a lot on his mind recently and this is basically his way of rediscovering himself again. Although to tell the truth, he never likes anyone fussing over him." Nardole accidentally let slip one or two facts about his friend, he perhaps shouldn't have said.

Before she could think of the right words to respond with, events took yet a further frightening turn. A small squeal escaped Nardole's lips, once he witnessed a group of what he was now led to believe as being called The Vardez. Their wet and unkempt appearance raised eyebrows especially with The Doctor. The Time Lord stopped everything he was currently doing and stepped forward, confidence and expectancy brimming within his Gallifreyian mind.

"Start spreading the news The Doctor's in town!" He addressed them with an annoying American accent, believing this might genuinely annoy them enough to gain their attention. Sadly they weren't the type of half human/half alien race that liked to communicate well.

"They haven't noticed you. Perhaps if they haven't become aware of us, we'll have a better chance of escaping." Daniel said, stating the obvious.

"Yes I very well gathered that. Plan B it is then." The Doctor casually glanced over his shoulder at the young man before slowly approaching him with curiosity. He was able to note how this man bared a striking resemblance to Rory, what with the sudden protectiveness he had over his female friend.

"So...wh...what are... you suggesting?" Daniel stuttered nervously, while left to what he and Bill were dealing with, being forced to trust this Scottish bloke and his bubbly yet panicky sidekick.

"Funny you ask, Silent One because I'm going to need your help."

The Doctor didn't seem too concerned regarding getting Daniel's name completely wrong.

"My name's Daniel." The young man certainly wasn't impressed.

"Daniel...okay I'll call you Brave Brains from now on." Not wishing to cause further upset or annoyance, he gave Daniel a better nickname and then decided to push ahead with Plan B.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are welcome**


	3. Chapter 3

**Doctor Who: The Dawn of The Vardez  
**

 **Chapter Three  
**

Plan B seemed to work effectively well for at least five or ten minutes. In that amount of time it had only gone as far as helping to get the four of them out of the building. Yet once the time ended, they found themselves unstuck once again, when Daniel almost got drenched and poisoned as a result of The Doctor's curiosity getting the better of him, mainly him testing two drainpipes down one of Bristol's side streets. "So much for your plan B then, Professor Not So Genius."

"What makes you think I'm a Professor?" He asked as glances over at Bill,. He couldn't help raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner. She was certainly one very outspoken young woman that was for sure.

"Don't know, you just look like you're dressed like a Professor." She couldn't really rightly say, why she assumed this about hm.

Soon enough Nardole was finding the thought of his friend being mistaken a part of this certain profession, particularly amusing to say the least. For him, laughing always felt like the best medicine however he didn't feel the need to quite fully go there just yet, as this act usually landed him in trouble. Thankfully he was able to calm down and keep a straight face for the time being.

He kept a look out as did Daniel, for any strange activity possibly taking place or for any strange individuals who may be lurking around close by. The Doctor was far too busy to take note of what was happening while his back was turned. His latest act after he finished pacing back and forth whilst quietly muttering...presumably words of encouragement to himself, he then tried to enter the back building of an indoor food market which was currently locked.

"You know you can get yourself in a whole heap of trouble for breaking in and entering a building without the owner's permission." Bill wasn't overly impressed by this likely attempt and this man not looking too bothered regarding the fact he might get himself arrested.

"Who says I'm breaking and entering? That's not how I do things. I rely more on my Sonic Screwdriver." The Doctor grinned while he waved his blue sonic screwdriver around, as if he was seeking to sell to someone he thinks might like the look of it.

"Your Sonic what?" Bill couldn't follow everything he was talking about. She believed this man to be without a doubt, the most bewildering and strangest man she had ever met.

"Sonic Scre...never mind. I suppose if I show you how it actually works, you may very well be impressed."

"Are you always like this?... with everyone you meet...wanting to play the unconventional hero."

"Me an unconventional hero?" He smirks at the very thought at being considered a hero. Although he never quite pictured himself to be one, it was a lovely compliment from Bill, even if she didn't realize she had praised him for this.

She stood motionless with her arms folded, standing on the left-hand side and observes the Time Lord curiously while he worked at one silver heavy lock and a light gold lock with his handheld device. "Yes. Unless you're just someone who's trying to ask me out a date"

"Well I guess I am a sort of hero then, like you say I am. Oh by the way I'm a married man." The Doctor confirmed what she had originally thought about him but was quick to set her straight, by telling he was married. Naturally he didn't wish to explain to her, how the many obstacles and barriers of time and space influenced his marriage to River.

"That's a relief to know. Doesn't your wife doesn't travel around with you and your friend then?" She asks him.

The Doctor's two hearts suddenly sank at the very thought of being asked this difficult question. He felt a little distracted at first, causing him to place his Sonic Screwdriver in his left hand and rise to his feet from his crouching position. He didn't know what to say or how to describe why River doesn't travel with him and about her fate at the Library.

"She's got her career elsewhere at a University. She's actually...a professor herself, a Professor of Archaeology as a matter of fact." The Doctor manages to smile fondly, he's careful not to get teary-eyed and to give away further details about River.

"You look like you miss her." Bill's opinion of him started to slowly change, from the exact moment she saw a look of longing and fondness across his face.

"I do...very much." He poured his hearts out momentarily before he then returned to re-energizing his focus back on unlocking the two stiff locks. Bill's taken back by how emotional he appears to some extent upon telling her about his wife.

Bill glances over at Nardole, who shyly smiles back at her in response. She thinks he's very sweet and that he's obviously a loyal friend to this man. Within a minute or so, he eventually succeeded in getting both locks open and didn't waste any time with walking inside the building ahead of Bill, Daniel and Nardole.

"What is he doing?" Daniel looks on in disbelief. Seeing as he quite clearly couldn't understand why The Doctor felt determined enough to take it upon himself, to find where the source of the alien poison might have come from. He turns to Nardole and Is he so much a rebel, he doesn't give two hoots about the consequences of breaking the law?"

It didn't come as any sort of surprise whatsoever to see Nardole looking so unsure and nervous over the fact Daniel had chosen to put him on the spot without warning. "Oh I couldn't possibly say. All I know is, you'd have to ask his wife because she knows what The Doctor is like even more than me."

"Doctor?" Daniel mouthed and then flashed a knowing smile in Bill's direction who wasn't exactly impressed by his change in behaviour.

"I heard that! Nardole I never you had to down as Mr News of the World" The Doctor's hearing distance proved to be nothing short of amazing. They themselves could hear every movement he made; from knocking items over, the sound of his Sonic Screwdriver which sounded sharply and rather loud and the sound his footsteps squeaking across the floor.

Bill decided to join him inside the building, much to the confusion of Daniel. He couldn't understand why she felt like she had to follow this "Doctor", no sooner after she had voiced her doubts about him. Nardole calmly and quickly followed on not far behind her and The Doctor, unintentionally leaving Daniel in the lurch. He wasn't sure whether he could fend for himself, if trouble were to come calling and strike him without warning.

 **xxxx**

This particular building; with cobwebs visible to see in every corner of every part of each section of the building, there were certainly some surprises revealed about this place, which also came with an extra revelation concerning some of it's darkest secrets as well. The light from The Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver illuminated almost the entire main part of the building.

"Oi, you're going to blind someone with that Sonic thing of yours." Bill said. Once she finally put in an appearance, shielding her eyes with her hands as she done her best to find where The Doctor actually was in this packaging facility.

What she hadn't known was, he was only a matter of feet away from her. His eyes were examining three of the machines nearby.

"Doctor... Where are are you?.Oh there you are...wait till Professor Song hears about you shining that Screwdriver of yours in people's faces. She'll be very unhappy because of you using the energy up on it.." Nardole's voice echoed throughout the building, once he made his presence unmistakably known. As a result this caused The Doctor to come out from his hiding place, seeing how Nardole had actually caught a glimpse of him crouched on his knees.

"Nardole how many times.." The Time Lord said with a chuckle that was quite indulgent and very relaxing to listen to.

"Sorry Doctor." Nardole blushed with embarrassment.

"I've found it! It's here! The source of the Vardez's poison and from the looks of things, it's not good news. I need to think...think. Think what's your next plan of action Doctor Disco, surely you know the answer." He wasn't making any sense, pacing back and forth like a mad scientist and deliberately managing to confuse everyone there.

"What answer?" She looked puzzled, which didn't look the least bit surprising.

"As far as I can tell...he's aiming to get the better of this Vardez." Nardole speculated on this as he begun to strike up an open conversation with Bill.

"What's with those nicknames he mentioned?" She couldn't take her eyes off him. She knew she almost certainly didn't fancy him but there was something far too intriguing about him, this thought played on her mind.

Nardole glanced over at his friend as well, with a look of curiosity registered on his face. He thought he might succeed, in perhaps picking up one or two clues from his friend's body language as well. Professor Song had once taught him, if you wanted to trust someone who you hadn't met before, was to analyze their body language.

"I can't say for sure but I think it's his technique of staying himself ahead of the pack... "

For the first time Bill felt hugely impressed shortly after hearing this explanation because she believed smartness was better than anything else.

"Don't you just ever get bored of trying to prove a point all the time?" She asked him, as his latest pursuit of investigation took him over to by where she was standing. He made sure not to annoy her greatly, the moment he stopped sonicing two unusual looking plugs and decided to think of an answer.

"Let's just say someone such as me, isn't keen on making a song and dance about behaving like a show-off." The Doctor unconvincingly claimed. He knew, even Nardole knew that he had the knack of revealing one of lies so easily to someone whom he would had known for five minutes.

"Not from what I've learned about you so far." Bill suggests with a telling smile. Her smile soon fades once she realizes Daniel isn't alongside her, expressing a couple of _"you're seriously trusting this man?"_ looks.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor's left brow shot up, as well as an inquisitive look which soon presented itself across his facial features. He could see she was in some state of panic, even bewildered to some degree.

"Daniel didn't follow us in here... What if they've got him, these Vardez creatures you mentioned about." She never panicked so much in her life as much as she was doing now.

"I'm sure he won't be far from us." The Doctor knew within a matter of moments, his words didn't appear to look quite reassuring as he intended to be. He somewhat wished he had thought more carefully on what he ought to have told her. She dashed off in a hurry, it was clear to see she wasn't thinking straight while she was hopeful of finding Daniel.

"He must really mean a lot to her...Well I thought you tried your best Doctor even though she didn't thank you for your advice."

"Humans always continue to baffle me. They're either not impressed by me on first impression then, they suddenly decide to would like to know more about me then if I make a mistake they look they're not too interested in what I have to tell them."

"She's not too bad Doctor. Besides I like her because she seems to get me, who I am. I think we could be great friends, me and Bill." Nardole looks buoyant and upbeat because of the thought of making friends with someone new.

The Doctor doesn't look convinced as to whether the same could be said for him too, he wasn't confident enough regarding how he meets new people. The handwritten apology cards he kept in his top pocket sometimes came in handy for when he needed them.

He handpicked one of the cards from his pocket. For his eyes only he saw what was written on the card and followed what it said. "Bill! Be careful out there."

Nardole hurried on not far behind him. "Hang on Doctor, shouldn't you be careful yourself. I mean, remember all that trouble you went to after Professor Song had to leave for her archeology trip. You taking on those monks single-handedly and earning the right to restore my head onto one of their bodies."

"Of course I'm careful, you've seen how careful I can be, Nardole." The former member of the human colony of Mendorax Dellora didn't look too certain regarding The Time Lord friend's claim. "Over those 24 years, I could see how unhappy you were with sharing a metal body. So I only thought it was only right, that I righted a wrong by finding you a new body." The Doctor reminded him of the lengths he went to restore a life. Well it was the best he could do because of how fond River was of the lovable, kindhearted young man.

They heard a piercing scream, Bill had most likely stumbled across another alien or found Daniel lying unconscious on the floor, presumably poisoned like the other victims of the Vardez. This latest situation catapulted the two of them into action.

They ran as fast as their feet were able to guide them, throughout the building,

"Just don't try and touch anything Nardole. You never know, this place might actually be concealing something more than just the average boxes of bananas and apples and sabotaged electricity plugs." The Doctor was perfectly correct as usual. Through being a Time Lord and through millions, billions of years of time-traveling, which had taught him enough to know the consequences of someone's mistakes had the habit of hurting you or someone you loved greatly.

"Okay." Nardole gave an understanding nod. Understandably he couldn't keep up with the pace of his friend. Thankfully however the two of them eventually reached the backyard of the building within seconds. Worryingly though Bill was nowhere to be seen neither was Daniel.

The Doctor became convinced they weren't alone, something or someone had the deadliest of intentions. Whoever this individual or individuals were, they were certainly willing to do whatever it takes to gain his attention. "We're being watched?"

"Oh no! what do we do now Doctor?" Nardole looked to him for answers. Ever since they left Darillium, Nardole had thought of The Doctor as the brother he never got to have and he had also begun to adapt to traveling throughout time, to different planets and different centuries on Earth.

"We head back to the TARDIS and then we arrive back here by an hour earlier."

"But wouldn't that have repercussions for the both of us, if we bump into ourselves?"

"Not necessarily. The two of us just need to tread carefully, from the moment we step back out of the TARDIS."

"Uh I don't know what to think Doctor. I mean that might prove to be difficult for me."

"Just follow my lead Nardole. Besides you've been doing this since Darillium."

"Uh okay."

They returned quickly as possible to the TARDIS, just as visible shadows were lurking and forming themselves around the exact spot, where the blue box was re-materializing from. The Doctor felt a sudden chill in his upper right arm, luckily he placed left hand over his arm and was able to create a warm glow to stop the chill from affecting his arm further.

"I get the feeling one of my enemies is trying to haunt me... Vashta Nerada. It's not been about the Vardez all along, it's all been about the Vashta Nerada. They're painting a picture for me and it's not most certainly isn't a pretty one. But why would they want to make the Vardez do their handy work for them? I mean why aren't they making their usual statement... flesh eating their victims. Apologies Nardole, if I'm scaring you with what I know about them."

"Well I wouldn't want to find myself one on one against this Vashta Nerada anytime soon."

"If you saw what they're capable of... all I can say is you'd be praying for your life to be speared."

The Doctor's stark warning left Nardole feeling extremely anxious and jittery. He was now even resorting to glance over his shoulder, towards the corners of each and every section of the console room.

The TARDIS shook from side to side. Funnily enough it was doing this a lot lately and it left The Time Lord to question what the cause of this might be. The Old Girl hadn't been herself since the time a rebellious Sontaran tried to kill Nardole and The Doctor, as a massive wall was brought down in East Berlin in Germany 1989. A unexpected blast Perhaps she just required a regeneration makeover of her very own.

Nardole's hands clung on for dear life, to the handlebar closest to where the Doctor was standing and then he half twisted around, now facing away with his back to The Doctor. Which nearly caused his friend to stumble backwards and lose his footing.

"Sorry Doctor. I don't mean get frightened whenever I do."

"No need to apologize...besides you've still got lots to learn about the 'Old Girl'."

Thanks to some quick thinking, The Time Lord managed to bring the TARDIS back under control, piloting the blue box safely through the time vortex and managed to ease Nardole's worst fears.

"You can let go of the handlebar now Nardole. There really isn't nothing to worry about." He tried to reassure him of this with such consideration and to encourage him think positively as well. "Fear can be the worst of it's kind, when danger comes calling but courage can make you feel praised and respected. It enables you to rise above any fears you happen to have. Nardole trust me, I know this is a guarantee...especially from the exact moment you start to believe this for yourself." The Doctor walked over towards him and then placed his left hand over his friend's wrist briefly.

"Ow!" The younger man felt a static tingle in his wrist, when The Doctor removed his hand.

"Sorry, I'm not someone who likes to think as straight forward as anybody else would like to do so." The Doctor explains in simple terms, no sooner after he returned to the consoles and inspected the monitor screen.

"Professor Song told me on Darillium, you take great pleasure in behaving like a right sneaky so-so when you time it rightly."

As soon as he had his say, Nardole failed to spot his friend smiling knowingly as well as looking reflective upon another mention of his much missed wife. It soon became apparent, time for reflection would need to be put on hold for the time being, as the TARDIS arrived at it's next...well same destination as the previous one.

Nardole gulped nervously, his hands trembling and the fact he couldn't properly string a sentence together was very telling. "I don't want to go out th...ere Doc...tor "

"Nonsense Nardole, Like I said ,we've only just come back to where we were an hour ago." The Doctor reacted as cool as a cucumber about the whole thing. He didn't fear whatever maybe on the other side of the TARDIS' doors. Confidence rose and rose deeply within his mind as he made the decision to go and investigate whether the blue police box had returned back to it's original location.

He strolled towards the main entrance, his eyes intentionally focused on what was facing them. Next he swung the doors open and then it hit him, he hadn't got his bearings exactly right - in fact he had inadvertently transported them to a passenger ship in the sky...or so he thought.

Bill's shouts could be heard from right above him. "Seems I didn't get my bearings wrong afterall then." Without providing a clue as such, as to what he was planning to do next, he dashed off in a hurry and took the nearest stairwell. Not wishing to be left alone; Nardole carefully closed the TARDIS doors behind him and soon set off following the same path, which The Doctor had taken a matter of moments ago.

 **xxxxx**

A half-lit room full of aquarium tanks suddenly revealed itself. Bill had now found herself trapped inside there with some of the weirdest fish creatures she had ever seen and metal flooring. She had no idea as to how on earth she could manage to escape from this room because firstly there didn't look like there was any fire escape anywhere around the room. She couldn't work out where she had ended up and how she was brought there. The temperature of the room was half warm and half cold, it was baffling to be honest - how this room was supposedly operated and why it required a wall of aquarium tanks.

"Someone let me out please! I'm claustrophobic." She begged not to be harmed.

"Silence human! your turn will not happen until my leader pays you a visit and addresses your concerns." The voice of an anonymous person who had monitored her since her arrival on the ship, communicated with her via speakerphone.

"Where's my friend? You know the other human, who was brought here? Is he okay?" She hoped these captors hadn't hurt Daniel.

"Foolish human! your answers will be delivered. If you ask again, your life will not see daylight again." The person predicted with such menace.

"Like I'm scared of you." While glaring up at the wall, Bill mutters this comment under her breath.

Meanwhile The Doctor was busy observing two human-fish like guards outside one of the rooms; his forehead furrowed with worry because he suspected this mysterious place might conceal one or two hidden cameras along it's many corridors.

With suspicion in his mind the Vashta Nerada were somehow playing a main role in this latest bid to destroy Earth, The Doctor's thoughts were also regarding this passenger ship and the ship, he believed was buried beneath the recording studio he and Nardole met Daniel and Bill in. "Okay this must be the sister ship. Seems like The Vardez race think they're a smart bunch... owning two ships. There's probably loads of them." He consciously thought in his mind.

They looked strong and bright enough to take on aliens, who weren't considered as true allies to them. Getting past them certainly looked an impossible task for The Doctor, not even his Sonic Screwdriver could get him past these armed guards. He needed a back up plan and fast, otherwise before long he would worryingly find himself at the mercy of his newest enemies.

Nardole finally put in an appearance, quietly popped up behind him and almost knocked him forward off his feet.

"Sorry Doctor. Pardon my clumsiness, you know what I can be like, everytime I'm not looking where I'm going next." He felt embarrassed, knowing he was a far from smart person unlike The Doctor, who always acted razor sharp and had enough out-of-this-world knowledge to humiliate every single one of his enemies.

While listening to his friend, The Doctor's attention had still solely been focused on getting the upper hand over the two mean eyed Fish-Human creatures, who weren't looking as though they may make the mistake of slipping up soon and as a result of this, allowing intruders to creep past them.

"You really shouldn't keep apologizing Nardole, I already understand what you're telling me. Anyway the two of us right now, we need to think our way past those guards without leaving traces of us being here in the first place."

"And how are we going to do that?...Somehow make ourselves invisible to the naked eye."

Nardole's last-minute suggestion sounded smart enough to be attempted at least. As The Doctor turned to face him, he had another one of his shrewd grins etched across his face. Not giving much away, The Doctor quickly makes one or two adjustments to his Sonic Sunglasses, in his left pocket and his latest 'gadgety' watch, which he had been working on during his time spent on Darillium with River.

"Oh no I've given you an idea, haven't I?" It didn't take Nardole long to work out - 5 minutes more or less, this idea of making themselves invisible was well worth undertaking.

"Pretty much I'd say." He smiles and gives a nod before he acts on his gut instincts. He retrieves his Sonic Sunglasses and opts to wear them within seconds. "Bit of advice Nardole, there's always a way of getting yourself out of trouble, you just have to let your mind explore all possibilities."He smiles again and then taps the part of the glasses resting over his nose, as he stares up at the crystal chandelier, dangling right above him.

This caused some of the crystals as shattered through the air, to blaze with such intensity, even more than the sun itself. It was obviously enough to blind anyone who happened to be standing in it's path, fortunately on this case it was the guards who were blinded by the falling crystals - The Doctor's plan had worked well, at the first attempt.

The Vardez guards squawked like injured birds. Having only just come across this unusual race for the first time, The Doctor wondered whether he got their origin all wrong. "They're not just Fish, they've got the same emotions of... what some pudding brains on Earth like to call...Birds." This startling revelation felt like a lightbulb moment for him. Birds weren't his favourite type of creatures, not since encountering a Raven many, many years ago back on Earth. Why he hated? he couldn't give an specific reason for this.

He ushered Nardole in front of him along the corridor, as quickly as he could because he didn't want the two of them being caught red-handed, wandering further down the corridor.

"Uh...Hang on a minute Doctor!" Nardole didn't have any say in the matter. The brisk pace he was now walking at, was the fast he had ever walked, no thanks to The Doctor's quick-thinking.

"No time to talk Nardole, we've got a rescue mission to carry out." The Doctor outlined what they needed to do.

The walls of the nearest corridor were covered in a luxury purple colour and outside every doorway of each of the most peculiar rooms, there were ornamental Birch trees on the left side of the doors.

"This place is really creeping me out." Nardole's fears were slowly catching up upon him again.

"Stay calm and stay strong Nardole because once you know you can, you can defy all the odds."

"Okay I'll try but I'm not promising any guarantees."

"Good now we've got this sorted out, can I now point you to the room I believe our new friend is being held in at this current moment." The Doctor helpfully pointed him in the right direction of where he had just spotted Bill only seconds ago.

"Oh yeah" Nardole said, soon as the understanding of this managed to registered itself in his mind.

Bill spotted the two of the men wandering around, outside the see-through room she was being held in. The glowing aquarium tanks had proved to be helpful, in pinpointing her current location and at first glance - unlocking the door structure shouldn't look as much of a difficult task to carry out.

"Get me out, please get me out." She pleaded. Finding herself trapped within this room at that precise moment, had left feeling scared and desperate to get home.

The Doctor noted her plea straight away. So he didn't waste much time, as he acted on his plan with the best of intentions. He crouched down on his knees and studied the gap between the metal door and the framework supporting it. Once he was done with the mind-exercising looks he had resorted to using to study the gap, The Doctor got back up to his feet and unveiled his Sonic Screwdriver, aiming it steadily at the lock on the door.

"Stand back from the door Bill...I'm going to get you out."

Bill nodded understandingly, she had only known him for five minutes yet she was now entrusting him with saving her life.

The Sonic Screwdriver buzzed loudly as The Doctor held the device tightly in his hand. Seconds later, the door blasted open and collapsed back on the floor. In the spur of the moment, Bill hurried as fast as her feet could guide her, from the now damaged room.

She gave him a thank you hug, which he hadn't expected - as her way of thanking him.

Nardole reacted with surprise too. He believed beforehand that, she would just thank The Doctor with a mini speech.

The Doctor was first to pull away from the hug. He still hadn't felt comfortable with most of the hugs he had been given by friends he had made on Darillium and of course by Nardole. who after getting a new body, practically hugged the life out of him so much, The Doctor glowed with regeneration power.

"Okay now you've hugged and thanked me, hadn't we best rescue your friend. I mean who knows what the Vardez or the Vashta Nerada are capable of."

"Vashta Nerada?" A confused looking Bill asked.

"It's a long story, I'll explain later." The Doctor chose not to go into detail about how dangerous they were and to the human race.

"Okay, we need to find Daniel, he should be near by." She advised them before she set off on foot to search for her missing friend. The Doctor and Nardole weren't far behind her.

"I really hate all of this running. It's not as fun as I thought it would be." Nardole sighs.

"It's not that bad Nardole. I'm sure you'll get very fond of it soon enough." The Doctor tried to encourage to give 'liking running a go'.

The trio's were stopped in their tracks, by the sound of an unfamiliar voice - who didn't sound happy with The Doctor's actions. "If you're looking for your friend, you're sadly too late...I spurred his life on my ship, by teleporting him back on Earth... just so the last thing he sees...is witnessing the fall of his beloved _'Earth'_. As for you, Time Lord. Yes my race know who you are. Your actions will be punished...not just yet though. One day soon, you yourself will witness the Dawn of the Vardez and suffer at our hands."

"How did you even know who I was? Come on tell me!" The Doctor looks stunned by this revelation. Nobody had rattled him before. The well spoken voice of this anonymous individual, soon vanished from behind the speakerphone.

"Don't listen to him because if you do the opposite, you're only going to play into his hands." In a reversal of fortune - Bill was now the one, making sure her new friend didn't do anything he might regret. She was also making the effort of trying to put his mind to rest with positive thoughts.

They eventually set off to relocate where the TARDIS was situated on the ship.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are welcome**


	4. Chapter 4

**Doctor Who: The Dawn of The Vardez  
**

 **Chapter Four  
**

"Come on, come on... hurry before our prestigious host changes his mind." The Doctor warned them. The Vardezian may have claimed he hadn't killed Daniel but still an uncomfortable thought played on the Doctor's mind - the creature surely couldn't be trusted.

Nardole's left hand held onto Bill's hand as he simply couldn't keep up with the pace. Seeing this a lovely moment unfolding before him straight away, gave The Doctor a perfect reason to smile once again.

"I'm sorry about the hand holding... it's just that I get scared and whatever I see first, I grasp hold of something that's close to me." Nardole hadn't held anyone's hand before and now he had, he felt calmer and reassured, he had absolutely no reason to feel afraid nor embarrassed no longer.

"It's fine." Bill assures him. She's got to know him brilliantly well, in a short space of time and yet she's looking upon as him as a lovable and proper friend.

The Doctor ran on further ahead of them, with the sole purpose of getting some payback on the remaining Vardez on board this ship. Of course he wasn't going to resort to killing him; the Time Lord just wanted to make sure the Vardezian regretted crossing paths and pulled his army out from Earth altogether. Clearly The Doctor hadn't forgotten about the ship still buried beneath the recording studios, where he and Nardole met Bill and her protective friend at.

"Doctor isn't that the TARDIS down the corridor there?" Nardole pointed in the direction of the police box, with his right finger. He may not be clever nor plucky enough but Nardole proved how capable he was, when comes to memorizing the TARDIS look and identifying where the blue box is.

"Seems my sense of direction is not as up to scratch as I presumed it was." The Doctor basically admitted, his mind was going through a temporary memory blip.

"You're not the only one, I've been there myself as well. Funny what it does to your mind."

Soon enough, the three of them all felt relieved after reaching the TARDIS and looked happy as they entered the blue box. The Vardez ship started to violently shake, which prevented the TARDIS from leaving this futuristic ship straight away. Deliberate sabotage looked like the cause of what was currently happening to the both of these. As The Doctor was extremely preoccupied with undoing the damage inflicted upon the control console and Nardole was quietly standing by the lower steps, secretly keeping his fingers crossed that they would soon be safe.

The fact that Bill's reaction had certainly gone unobserved by her rescuers was a little surprising to say the least. Her reaction was a complete giveaway especially judging by how stunned as well as confused she looked, regarding her thoughts on this room looking somehow bigger on the inside than on the outside. Clearly a new experience would more than likely, take a while for it to sink in for her. Bill was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of The Doctor's Scottish voice, who was begging someone or something to behave themselves.

"No...no...no. not now, not today. I know we've had our differences and everything but letting yourself get into a horrible spin is one excuse, you might regret using in a situation like this." While he talking, he marched around the console like a frustrated politician.

"Who is he talking to?" Bill asks Nardole, as she carefully watches The Time Lord.

"The TARDIS apparently. The Doctor says he regularly communicates with 'The Old Girl' brilliantly well."

"Really?"

"Funnily enough, that's what I said myself, the time I found out where the library is in here and overheard him apologizing to the TARDIS, very much like he's doing right now." The sound of Nardole's chuckles were rather enjoyable to listen to, as he laughed along with Bill because of what he had only just told her.

"That just sounds weird." She tells him.

Believing The Doctor was still busy dealing with the ongoing hiccups the TARDIS was having. The two of them weren't aware he had in fact fixed this problem, which the 'Old Girl' had and he was actually now stood observing the two newly friends attempting to share not so successfully quiet conversation between themselves. Bill's laugh had given the game away.

"What sounds weird?" The latest questioning look in his eyes, showed plenty of curiosity and amusement. Nardole had already guessed his good friend had taken this opportunity to listen in to his conversation with Bill.

"Blimey you've definitely got crystal sound hearing, far better than mine." Bill happily remarks, while she's stood side by side with The Doctor.

She's making a big impression on him, which he notes about her. Seeing how Bill's not for confrontations and not too bad at thinking on her feet, The Doctor feels obliged to pay better attention to her.

"I can't be expected to be stand by and pretend I haven't heard my name being mentioned by Nardole here." He admits he isn't one to stay quiet for long.

"Surely your name's not The Doctor. You must have another name, like a secret name or something. Oh it's not one you're embarrassed about is it?" Bill refused to believe The Doctor was his actual name and so she soon begun to seek the reason for why he didn't wish to reveal his true name.

However the opportunity to carry out her temporary investigation, couldn't happen quite yet, seeing how unstable the TARDIS was behaving ambiguously, by creating another huge problem and another unwanted headache for The Doctor, by shutting herself down via the upper buttons above the controls. Once this latest situation was eventually brought under control, thanks to some quick thinking from the Time Lord. 'The Old Girl' needed to take them back to Earth; fingers crossed - as smoothly and less bumpy as possible.

"No it isn't." The Doctor didn't look too impressed, with regards to being quizzed over the truth about why he doesn't seem to call himself by another name, his real name.

Bill could see how uncomfortable he had become, since she had started bombarding with too many questions. Perhaps this wasn't the right time to have chosen to do this, seeing how he had the important responsibility of guaranteeing everyone's safety on board the TARDIS including his own.

The ride seemed to trail itself further on through the time vortex, as if it weren't going to arrive just yet at it's intended destination on Earth - Bristol to be precise.

The Doctor was very nearly about to suggest to his two traveling companions, that it might be worth holding on to something tight, whatever was nearest to them but it looked like Nardole had already very much acted on his very own gut feeling, by holding on for dear life to the left railing bar at the foot of where the upper stairs were.

"Bill you should do the same." The Time Lord recommends this, as soon as he sees her unsure of what she should do next. Her positive, laid back attitude seems to be wavering somehow between calm to panicky looks. She returns a look.

"Did you really mean what you said?"

"What?"

"You'll do whatever you can to protect Earth, whether you like it or not."

"When did I say that?..." The Doctor's eyes stare down at the floor, then within the space of 20 seconds look up with they look as though they've been hit with some sort of realization. "Hang on... I never said that!"

Bill soon wishes she hadn't said this out loud. "Sorry I'm just guessing... seeing how keen you seemed to find your time machine box before we got inside here." She turns to face the railing and moves herself forward, leaning towards it, so she can hold onto the unusually shaped railing tightly. The Doctor made the telepathic interface was correctly positioned before he then crouched on his knees at the console panel.

The TARDIS flashes with a warning signal; it's her way of telling those on board, to prepare themselves for an extremely bumpy return to the Earth's surface and to assure them they've nothing to panic about in the long-term. Doing her duty was all that mattered to The Old Girl. She managed to half-cheer up her owner and saved his life countless times throughout each and every one of his regenerations. Once again, she was doing exactly the same thing for him, guarding his as well as others lives. This latest task did look her most dangerous yet but rising to the challenge she was, with such excellence.

The Doctor aimed to make sure he didn't bump his head during the remaining few moments of this flight. Suddenly he heard an all-too-familiar voice in his head.

 _"Just like you to defend yourself during another rough ride in the TARDIS, Sweetie. You seem to be forgetting one important thing that a Time Lord should know...you never lock on the co-ordinates properly."_ Each and every casual second of this hellish journey, was now surrendering itself into one of very many short-lived memorable moments, seeing how he was able to visualize his much missed wife, who was wearing a golden length dress. She had worn this fabulous looking dress on the very last night the two of them had spent in each other's company. _  
_

He wanted to speak but knew the possibility of this happening was unlikely, seeing as the TARDIS' still looked from stable, in spite of his many attempts to resolve the difficulties 'The Old Girl' was experiencing. River stepped forward and stood closer to where her husband was squatting. She could see the pining and emotion

 _"My love, I know you're doing everything you can to conceal the heartache in those two magnificent hearts of yours but letting your grief for me, get in the way of your judgement, won't end well for you. Besides you're The Doctor, the finest man in the universe who won't stop until he knows he's made a difference. You can save Nardole and your new friend. You just have to tell yourself, you know you can."  
_

Time stretched beyond it's original meaning, it's normal pattern as The Doctor managed to gather up whatever strength he had left, by standing up on his feet unaided and showing how he was perfectly capable of keying in the co-ordinates required for this latest return to Earth. A surge of magnetic energy sparked to life and quickened the speed of the TARDIS, among the ensuing chaos in the console room, the ghost of River vanished right in front of The Doctor's eyes. Thus, everything had therefore resumed as back to normal around the Time Lord. Soon as he accomplished this action, he pushed the lever down with his right hand.

This attempted display of heroism eventually succeeded for him, however it came with a worrying cost, as The Doctor lost consciousness at the console panel.

 **xxxx**

When he comes round and he awakens from his conscious state, The Doctor is now feeling the effects of a thumping headache, It isn't long before he soon becomes aware of the fact - he's currently lying flat on his back, on a wet surface of grass and unable to hear a thing. Not keen on staying stuck in the exact same spot, The Doctor sat up in next to no time. Back and forth, well twice at least, his eyes soon carefully scanned this cold area around him. He gets a strong feeling that someone is standing right behind him.

"Oh Doctor, thank goodness you're okay. We thought you weren't going to wake up." It's Nardole, who from the look of things; appears to be a bit dazed and confused himself.

The Doctor couldn't manage to stand properly on his feet and as a result, he ended up on his bum yet again. Frustrated but somehow not defeated by this embarrassing moment, The Doctor couldn't see anything else along this football playing field. "What happened? Where's the TARDIS?"

"Ah well, you see the thing is..." Nardole suddenly expressed nervous while talking to his friend, it was as if he assumed The Doctor wouldn't be best pleased about where his missing TARDIS was.

"We crash-landed into the Millennium Stadium and my TARDIS is stuck on the roof! Oh that's just fan-bloody- tastic. I'm expected to be fine with this... over my Time Lord backside!" His inner Scottish grumpiness was pretty much loud and clear to hear throughout the stadium.

Bill struggled to keep a straight face, after overhearing him yelling like an angry town crier. _Before the Police Box had landed in it's current location; herself and Nardole had watched on in bewilderment, seeing 'The Old Girl' open it's doors and going as far as teleporting her unconscious loyal owner out of the console room before then parking itself on the left side of the stadium's roof._

 _"We're in Cardiff"_

 _"Where did The Doctor go?" Although they clearly weren't thinking along the same page as each other at first, however this soon changed quickly when, Nardole was provided with an answer to his question.  
_

 _"Is he okay?" She asked.  
_

 _Nardole panicked. "He can't be. I promised Doctor Song I would make sure The Doctor would stay safe and not become reckless once she left for her expedition."  
_

 _Bill soon worked out why he was gravely concerned for his friend, as she discovered the Time Lord in the centre of the pitch, looking like he was asleep or worse still unconscious.  
_

 _"Oh my god." The realization hit her full on. Willing to repay the favour for the brave rescue Nardole and The Doctor had undertaken to save her, soon enough she was ushering Nardole to the nearest fire exit. She wanted to make sure they got down to the pitch side as quickly as possible, so they could both check to see if he was wide-awake._

 _Once they finally got down to the edge of the football pitch; Nardole, although he did really hate running every single time danger came calling, scurried across the wet grass and over to where The Doctor was.  
_

"Are you okay Doctor because you don't sound like yourself right now? I mean you risked your life to save us and that I'm grateful to you for but I do worry about you sometimes, seeing how quiet you've been recently without Doctor Song."

Not surprisingly, he's reluctant to admit this straight away. Well this was The Doctor after all, who had always learned to keep his feelings to himself for more than a century but then again he had always longed to be respected and loved by people he meets during his many time-traveling adventures. Nobody had known how to figure out his real feelings except River of course. The love and devotion she held for him had never dwindled, in fact it had grown incredibly stronger.

"Sorry about the shouting Nardole. Hope I didn't scare the bejesus out of you. I blame the Scottishness in me." The Doctor didn't go as far as answering his friend's question but did feel he ought to make an apology for his shouting.

"Guess we should retrieve your TARDIS then, whatever it stands for." Bill addressed the obvious reason for why they shouldn't be there in the stadium, making themselves look like they were three trespassers.

"Yeah what does it stand for because I haven't the foggiest idea" Nardole asked, as he was helping The Doctor up onto his feet.

"What? Are you kidding me? Didn't River ever tell what you what 'The Old Girl' meaning stands for?"

"Not really." Nardole pulled an uncertain face.

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

"Doesn't sound too interesting." His two companions both chose to say simultaneously. The Doctor's left brow arched itself with intrigue at the sound of the two of them speaking well in tune.

"Oh come on! It's not as uncool as you seem to think it is. Yes Time Traveling can come with some danger but the TARDIS is forever prepared to save many lives." It didn't click with him, as to why they weren't openly enthusiastic about time-traveling. Nardole believed time-traveling had some good and bad points, he just needed plenty of reassurance.

"You're asking me to trust a Police Box?" Bill on the other hand, needed to be won over especially having just faced whatever fears she may have had against the Vardez leader.

"Yes. The TARDIS has many rooms you can explore. Look Bill, this isn't me offering you a few trips in the TARDIS, this is just my way of leaving the offer on the table. I'm...not sure I want to be left alone. "

"Well if you put it in that prospective, Doctor then...I completely trust the TARDIS and as I'm always telling you Doctor, I'm always here and will always have your back no matter what ." Funnily enough Nardole then gave him a fist bump, which The Doctor had no knowledge of, so not fully knowing what he was expected to do next, he chose to follow his friend's example.

"Did he just fist bump you?" Bill asks.

"Fist bump what?" The Doctor asks with a look of perplexity.

"Something worth looking up for you, I would say." Bill recommended he give this a try.

The stadium was becoming difficult to navigate a way round and throughout it, as the three of them soon enough discovered.

Nardole suddenly made a surprising cheery confession from out of nowhere. "You know I think all this running is really rubbing off on me after all." A soft, bubbly chuckle escaped from his lips. Even clapping his hands with excitement.

"It's a funny thing what running can do to you...in a confident way...of course." The Doctor hinted to Bill, while they sprinted alongside each other.

"So I can see." She nodded in agreement.

 **xxxx**

It had taken almost two hours - in normal Earth time for The Doctor to successfully park The TARDIS near to a training facility on the outskirts of the Welsh capital. Of course Bill hadn't forgotten about Daniel at all, determined as ever she wanted to check to see if he had been returned safe and sound back to Earth, just like the Vardez leader ominously promised.

Bill and Nardole had caught a bus, to help them get back to Bristol.

In the meantime, The Doctor had taken the opportunity to revisit Luna University one last time, just so he had the chance to see River before she left with her team for their archaeology expedition. He knew he would obviously be breaking his own rules simply by following his hearts, on doing the right thing. The many halls of the university were what you call - fancy and too brightly.

He couldn't be certain whether he had got his timing spot-on or not. All he happened to be sure of was; she should at least be here for another 3 days, recently returned, after spending part of her life on Darillium with him. Over a candlelit dinner on their last ever night, promises were pledged between the both of them, he wouldn't show up in his TARDIS, as she was about to leave for her trip because she knew things would feel too emotional

For him a day elsewhere in time and space consisted of one day/night while in Earth time, it was more like an hour. It didn't go overlooked by him, to know she might feel annoyed with him for showing up unannounced.

He didn't mean to get on her nerves, by swooping back and forth into her life without a word.

Someone called to him, no sooner after he seized the chance to wander along the corridor closest to him, without a visitors pass. The Doctor avoided taking one more step and turned round to see who had shouted to him.

"River...surprise..." He flapped his arms out widely. The woman he loved was there right in front of him, a whisker away from where he was standing, those delightful eyes of hers couldn't resist feasting themselves on him.

"What are you doing here? You said, you didn't want us to say goodbye here at the University because emotions will get the better of you." Although she didn't appear to look entirely pleased by his spur-of-the-moment appearance, River instantly acknowledged the honest nature of her feelings - she was longing for him to hold her right there and then.

"I know I promised you I wouldn't show up but you see the thing is...I think this isn't a goodbye between just yet."

"Sweetie, is this your convenient way of inviting yourself onto my archaeology trip?"

" Oh you know me River, I'll only end up swearing in Scottish because of boredom. All this archaeology stuff, exploring and studying isn't for a Time Lord like me."

"Shame, I think you'd love being in my shoes for one trip."

Silence casts a shadow over The Doctor's thoughts momentarily, he's slightly teary-eyed and unsure of what else to say.

"What? What is it?" She suspects he's keeping a secret from her. Why couldn't he tell her whatever it may be? Surely this secret wasn't too bad enough. She met his smoldering gaze head on. Oh how could she ever keep on questioning him, sure when the time is best he would decide to tell her.

He placed a hand on her right hip and guided her towards him. Through every part of his heartache, The Doctor was soon finding himself falling madly in love with her all over again. To any nosy-parker who was witnessing this shared moment between the couple, would see it as coming across as intimate yet they wouldn't know the full picture or the meaning behind this.

"Sweetie, I really should be packing for my trip..." Out of the blue he silenced her with his lips. Nobody walking past them seemed to take a blind bit of notice. Their latest kiss was tender and amorous. The Doctor grew in confidence which gave him the courage in taking the lead, for the first time since Darillium.

As she delved deeply into his mind, reading his many thoughts; It was from there River's instincts unearthed everything she needed to know. Her husband was scared, her trip to the Library would go spectacularly wrong and he wouldn't see her again. She set aside what she now knew and chose to respond to his kisses instead with as much affection as possible.

She ran her fingers through his bouncy, fluffy salty pepper hair. She grinned during the kiss, no sooner after she heard him groan with pleasure. No doubt, he loved the feel of her hands doing their usual job of getting reacquainted with his magnificent hair.

His lips were soft, warm and heavenly. it didn't come as such as surprise to see how very capable they were, at making her weak at the knees. She knew she was meant to be preparing for her trip and yet right now she was busy relishing the touch of his lips passionately kissing. She felt her knees tremble again, as his tongue teasingly flickered along her upper lip. Keen not to fully lose herself further in their embrace, River pulled away from the kiss, with a smirk.

"Why is it, you always find a way to whisk me off my feet?"

"Well I'd put that down to...absence making my hearts go fonder."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly up at him.

In his mind, The Doctor was reminding himself again, how he shouldn't tempt fate by making effort he could in persuading not to go quite yet. His mind was all over the place especially, as he tried to figure out, how it was possible for him to see her ghost as his younger regenerated body was the first to see her, while the TARDIS was crashing back to Earth. He was able to memorize a few words she had mouthed to him. _Look up at the sky my love and you will find your answer at Luna._ Having recognised the nature of her hushed words, they had certainly helped with intentionally luring him to Luna University, obviously for good reason of course.

"Come on, I'll take you back to my room." She released her arms from around his neck and then grasped his right hand.

"Won't someone see me?"

Showing how her smartness had matured more impressively than ever, right away River had detected her husband's provisional awkwardness. "Sweetie, nobody hardly raises an eyebrow especially when someone's wife or husband turns up to see their other half. People's privacy is always respected within the university. Now where were we?..."

She decides to reassure him, he's nothing to feel uncomfortable about, by trailing her fingers over his furrowed cheek leaning upwards and then capturing his lips in a splendidly gentler kiss instead. She didn't waste any time in leading him hand-in-hand towards where her study room/bedroom was based. Whatever concerns were bothering him, soon vanished from his mind.

Upon walking along the university hallway, not far behind River, The Doctor hoped the TARDIS wouldn't be behaving mischievously in his absence. Another threat to Earth had been avoided, no doubt UNIT's resources will have things under control, depending on whether another one emerged.

"Sweetie, tell me are you going to stand there looking outrageously, as well as looking miles away in your own world or are you going to enter my study room with me?"The pleasant sound of River's voice snapped him out of his thoughtful contemplation.

"Why ask me? You already know." His usual stretchy grin didn't take long to form itself into a smile.

"I had a feeling you might say that." She shot him a seductive look, from over her left shoulder. Love was no doubt continuing to blossom further between the pair.

The fact he hadn't let go of her hand for a number of minutes was rather telling and easy for River to understand the reason for this.

"You know too much Professor, perhaps too much to talk yourself into a very revealing punishment by me."

"Since when did you consider innuendos to be cool?" While she felt his chest firmly pressed up against her back, thus making her lust for him far more than ever, she pretended she didn't have any clue as to what he meant by his latest suggestion.

"Since the moment you used your magic dresser spray on me, which left me naked on our 100th day on Darillium and then you handcuffed me to our bed. Of course you were all too willing to make me watch you do a striptease." Feeling his hot breath on her neck made her body surge spectacularly.

She turned back to face him before eventually proceeding to shower him with kisses. The door to her study room soon flung open, with the loved up couple barging through it's doorway and arms anchored around each other's bodies as they kissed passionately. The Doctor back-kicked the door closed as he was nearest to it.

Meanwhile in the TARDIS' console room, a distress call appeared on the monitor screen.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are welcome**

* * *

 **Don't worry Bill and Nardole haven't been forgotten about because they're still important in my story, which isn't finished yet. River will feature less in the next chapter.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Doctor Who: The Dawn of The Vardez  
**

 **Chapter Five  
**

24 hours later, The Doctor made a not so quiet return to the TARDIS. He had one expressed look which could only be described as "the regret of not doing more for River but still in the meantime, knowing the love he would always hold for his wife in his two hearts, wouldn't set him off on a dark path to destruction"

It didn't take the Time Lord to work out, not all was well with 'The Old Girl'. He wrongly presumed, she was upset with him for spending the night with River, inside the University.

"I know! I know! I broke my own rules just because I wanted to spend time with my wife, right up until she leaves for her trip to.." He couldn't dare to bring himself to utter the name of the destination, where his wife's very last archaeology mission takes place.

After having not glanced at the monitor screen for a fair few minutes - due to the fact he spent most of them talking, looking thoughtful and reflecting on precious memories, especially the ones of River when she first learned how to fly the TARDIS. As The Doctor momentarily glanced at the screen, it soon dawned on him, a worrying-looking message was now flashing in the centre of the screen.

"Enemy detected here on Earth...Please come urgently Doctor."A message from Osgood? This he was 100% sure of. Trouble had clearly come calling back on Earth in his absence, while he had chosen to spend his very last day with his wife - this decision, which was one he could never regret, not even for one second.

Either Kate Stewart couldn't handle whatever pressure she currently facing as chief of UNIT or perhaps the Government's trust and faith in UNIT wasn't as strong as it use to be. His fingers ghostly hovered above the keypads on the console for a moment or two before typing the numbers and then pressing enter, on the keypad. He brought the screen closer over towards him, so he was able to monitor the TARDIS' progress through the time vortex.

Absolutely convinced the Vardezian leader was heavily responsible for the latest audacious, unforgivable threat to Earth, The Doctor was aiming to guarantee punishment for the Vardez leader wouldn't be overlooked this time.

As the TARDIS carried on rocketing with speed towards it's destination, the ride soon came with it's usual obstacles, which left The Doctor to question whether perhaps leaving Nardole behind on Earth had actually been a good idea or not. From what River had told him about Nardole, his friend didn't like being left alone anywhere and didn't have much knowledge whatsoever on how to equip himself. After Hydroflax's body had no problem in seizing his head as a trophy; Nardole really hadn't wanted to face any more danger, given how his head had no means of escaping as well as having no chance of magically popping itself on someone else's body, while it had remained confined inside the robot's body.

 **xxxxx**

The TARDIS materializes on a playing field in the countryside, with a farm in the not-so-far background. Nobody else could see him from at least a mile off except any landscape enthusiasts who happened to be admiring this particular view of the countryside. The very thought of having to walk across the wet, muddy grass didn't impress The Doctor, given how he had seen mud splashed across the TARDIS' door panel. With his left brow arched, the Time Lord soon surveyed the land around him, from the moment he started to hesitatingly walk across this field.

He hadn't managed to walk very far until his immaculate hearing had picked up on the sound of sudden buzzing interference, which had begun to occur with his Sonic Sunglasses, someone or perhaps something were doing whatever they possibly can to communicate with him, via them.

"Doctor? Doctor? Can you hear me? Doctor?"

A curious Doctor removes his Sonic Sunglasses from his left pocket and places them over his eyes, so he can address Osgood. " Hello The Doctor here, reading you loud and clear Petronella Osgood..." He jokingly greeted UNIT's lab scientist while bearing a cheeky grin.

"Good to see you again Doctor. You look well, which is always good to see." She thought to ask him about how he was adjusting to life without Clara but she decided to skip asking him this and to inform him of the present danger UNIT was now facing."Sorry about my last-minute interference call to you via your Sonic glasses. The reason for this is because there should be an helicopter to pick you up any minute now at your current location, to bring you here to our new headquarters."

"When were you tasked with being put in charge?" The Doctor asked. He became ever so curious to know, why Petronella appeared to be temporarily in charge of UNIT in Kate's unexplained absence and how come UNIT were operating from a brand new state-of-the-art building, somewhere in London.

She had hoped he wouldn't ask however seeing as he was now putting her on the spot, she felt she ought to fill in most of the details on what's happened since they last spoke.

"Kate and the other me...were teleported right in front of my eyes three weeks ago. So UNIT's been searching for you ever since then. You've been very difficult to find until this very moment. I hope you don't mind me asking Doctor but where exactly have you been all this time?"

"So you are Petronella Osgood then? because I've seen how smart you look than the other you." The Doctor couldn't bring himself to answer her question and instead he resorted to quiz her, regarding which Osgood he was actually talking to.

"As much as i know you want me to answer your question Doctor, you know I can't give you an answer."

"Fair enough." Well it had certainly been a long shot and knowing she wouldn't consider revealing the truth of her real identity anyway, The Doctor quickly accepted her ambiguous response. He chose to answer her earlier question. "By the way, I was on the most important date of my life with my wife."

"You got married? When did that happen?" She looked taken back, as soon as she learned of his previously unannounced marriage.

"Yes I did...well Bow-Tie me did. It's difficult to explain what led to me marrying. Trust me Osgood, if I told you; it would be like describing three movies worth of how came to be married to the most beautiful female professor in the galaxy." He got slightly carried away upon describing River to Osgood.

While she was still pretty much in the dark, with regards to her Gallifreyian friend's timey-wimey marriage; Osgood was glad for him, how he wasn't alone anymore and had finally found a quintessential love, greater than the comfort and profoundness of love, every husband obviously held for their wives.

The sound of the helicopter's blades could be heard cutting into the air, as it neared The Doctor's current location. Believing the sunglasses may interfere with the power in the helicopter controls; he took off his sunglasses and clutched them tightly in his right hand, as his eyes glanced up to see it right above him.

"What about the TARDIS? I can't just leave it here in the middle of nowhere."

"Look, you have my word Doctor, UNIT will secure your TARDIS until you can help us get to the bottom of this latest threat, we're now facing."

Once the pilot skillfully had landed the helicopter safely on a large flat area of land, the pilot carefully climbed out from it's side-door and then proceeded to walk over towards the Time Lord, who was still speaking to Osgood. "This threat...doesn't happen to be from a group of aliens known as the Vardez does it? Because I've recently encountered them and their so-called leader." The Doctor begins to recount his first experience of dealing with the unpredictable nature of these aliens.

"Yes that's them. One of their ships blew up at least four army training bases and two Navy ships. No news of casualties, the outcome we think is likely to be worse, one we know of what damage the Vardez have left behind in the wake of their destruction."

The pilot, who bared the UNIT symbol on his uniform; tapped The Doctor on the shoulder and silently gestured for him to make the walk towards the spot where the helicopter had now temporarily been left unattended. The Doctor, who wouldn't normally do what he was told by others, nodded understandingly.

Moments later, with the doors closed and the helicopter started to ascend itself up into the cold crisp air; The Doctor finally able to secure the leather seatbelt across his chest, his eyes glance down at the roof of the TARDIS, just as more UNIT soldiers were making their arrival in two blacked out Range Rovers at this location, to undertake the responsibility of transporting the Police Box to their latest headquarters. Given how reclining back in any mode of transport tended to make him extremely uncomfortable, he opted to sit forward instead and quietly observe the pilot while he was flicking two switches at the flight deck.

His hand raked through his hair, as the helicopter reached it's highest point and soon headed on it's way back to UNIT's new headquarters building. Although the description of this threat from the Vardez hadn't affected anywhere else across Earth other than London, clearly this wasn't enough to stop him from feeling deeply concerned about Bill and Nardole's safety back in Bristol.

 **xxxxx**

Meanwhile, rumours were prompted throughout Bill's university, after the recent string of strange attacks on the British Army bases across the south of England, that universities may be targeted next. So the security personnel at Bristol University had conscientiously taken it upon themselves to protect every part of the large-scaled building, including it's halls of residence, main and fire escape entrance-ways. Eager to not remain fearful and to make every effort possible to cheer up her friend, who had constantly felt downbeat and seemed quieter than usual, upon knowing how often he was missing The Doctor.

"So what do you think?...Nardole?" She unveiled an unseen large framed portrait in front of him.

"Ooh I'm not sure." Nardole undecided of which right way to use, when it came to him given a verdict, on what he thought of his friend's artistic skills. He believed she shouldn't reveal this picture to anyone else, as it would raise questions.

"You're not liking it then?" She asks.

"No... I'm not someone, who thinks 'that's rubbish, that drawing' - I just think revealing artwork of what happened with those thingy alien creatures, may make your university friends suspicious." Over the last few weeks, Nardole's brilliant standard of knowledge of everything had surprisingly triggered a memory lapse for him, so much so he honestly couldn't remember the intimidating creatures who had kidnapped Daniel and Bill.

"I know it was silly of me to think this drawing would get me an A+ in my Art project. Seeing as my singing career didn't last long, I might just enroll for Music Studies Year 2 here. "

 **xxxxx**

With The Doctor and Osgood reunited once again, the two of them didn't waste in any time in working together, on outlining one or two plans, as well as trying to reaching an agreement on making sure Kate and the other Osgood wouldn't be hurt, in the process of which rescue attempt they eventually agreed on.

"Please at least give me a chance to go in alone and do this my way. Look I promise I won't do anything stupid against their leader. Besides as you've previously witnessed me doing before, I've found words being a handy tool when it comes to winning a battle against someone or something, I hold nothing but a mark of dislike for."

"Hmm...I'm not sure making a bargain deal with these enemies of yours is going to get us anywhere near rescuing Kate and my sister." _Sister_ , she hadn't meant to say this aloud in the manner she had just done in front of The Doctor.

The Doctor himself wasn't fooled by Osgood's efforts to cover up her slight embarrassment. Of course, she wanted to fulfill the responsibility upon taking care of UNIT in Kate Stewart's absence. Yet she appeared hopeless in every decision which she had single-handedly made so far. Communicating via The Doctor's Sonic Sunglasses proved to be the last option.

The Gallifreyian is curious and baffled by what's supposedly happened. "Answer me this. Kate's like her father, more smarter and braver than you expect her to be, so how come didn't she figure out what danger may have been lurking around the corner?"

"Well...we think she was gassed before being teleported to wherever she is now." She couldn't blame him for questioning her on this, given how well he knew the Leatherbridge-Stewarts. Osgood's eyes certainly deserved to be rewarded for their special eagle-eyed work, even so they became wise enough to detect a gold locket necklace tucked beneath The Doctor's light printed purple shirt, as well as two love bites.

"What's that beneath your shirt?" She said, with a curious stare. She felt she might make herself look like a busybody, if she asked him about the love bites, so held back from doing this.

"Something of great importance. Sorry I can't say any more about it." The only answer he could give. Taking a leaf out of his wife's books, he wouldn't contribute to their conversation with a spoiler.

"Some sort of souvenir?" She purely guesses more or less than asking him directly about the significance of his necklace.

Regardless of his usual tight-lipped stance due to his personal matters, The Doctor sprung a half-surprise - in confirming her the suggestion she made seconds earlier. "The most precious souvenir, a Time Lord has ever received in one's lifetime."

Osgood couldn't quite understand the meaning behind his confirmation. Nevertheless focus soon returned back to how the Vardez soldiers can be dealt with once and for all.

"We need to act now before it's too late and like you said, doing it your way, therefore this might be the one and only option UNIT can use." She hinted, the matter of taking over the reigns of UNIT proved to be stressful for her.

 **xxx**

As the sun set over the skies of London, UNIT Soldiers were following orders given by Osgood - to form an 20ft exclusion zone, in an old abandoned shipping yard. No reason was given for the purpose of this order. Once completed, the soldiers left the area and left The Doctor alone to face the fearful Vardez leader for the first time.

Scared? Well The Doctor certainly didn't look it, not even in the slightest bit. To outsmart an enemy required as many tricks and a lot of creative thought as possible. Still nothing was never going to apparently be straightforward as getting the better of the likes of the Daleks, Cybermen nor the Ice Warriors and now the Vardez.

Before leaving UNIT's building; The Doctor had sent a holographic call to their leader via a combination of his Sonic Sunglasses and Sonic Screwdriver - inviting him to meet him face-to-face in this shipping yard location and requested for the alien not to arrive with and have himself surrounded with his soldiers. Also he made a second request for Kate and Osgood II to be returned unharmed.

The wait never lasted long, as The Doctor finally found himself in the presence of his newest foe. The bright glow of the Vardezian's sudden appearance almost blinded his eyes, while he quietly observed the alien's beamed 'Star Trek style' arrival.

The alien's actual appearance of which, looked remarkably dull to say the least and capable of raising eyebrows with whomever he may happen to encounter next. He didn't care what anyone thought of him and his loyal followers.

"Doctor, at last we meet each other. You look old yet full of ancient wisdom."

"Speaking of yourself; You know... it's amazing how you seem resemble the same looks of a Hath and Sontaran. Are you sure you don't happen to be a long-lost relative of any of theirs, by any chance?" Showing he wasn't one for humoring an enemy all day long, so he quickly got matters back on track by asking about his missing friends. "Anyway where are your two prisoners like we agreed?"

"Sorry I changed my mind. If you knew me better like my other enemies do, you would know I never stand by a promise I make. You Time Lord, you are fighting a battle way out of your grasps."

"Oh my god, what a shocker!...not. Guess what? I let you play me. Let you believe I could be fooled, as easy as that. You don't know it yet but you've made one very big mistake."

"No one fools King Jagmar! Never!"

"Oh so that's your name then? Hmm... You know King Jagmar sounds more like a name of a lion."

King Jagmar intentionally stayed silent. The untouchable manner in which he presented himself, clearly made him appear powerless and far from indestructible. His efforts to dethrone humans from Earth in one clean sweep was already failing spectacularly before the full assault was ready to be launched.

"You can stay quiet as long as you like but you should know this, in the end winning is the better strategy, when it comes down to defeating an enemy."

What King Jagmar hadn't known was, while he was busy addressing The Doctor. UNIT soldiers had successfully managed to locate the whereabouts of Kate and Osgood, within a matter of seconds of The Vardezian stepping one foot onto the wet paved surface.

The battle between the two became intense and hard fought. However one thing was for certain though, the aliens were outnumbered and falling by every minute, some of whom were being killed upon impact of one or two explosions. UNIT's previously used armory proved valuable for them in their latest battle. Firing up into sky at the ships positioned above them and taking each ship out, one-by-one. Still some of their soldiers took it upon themselves to confront the UNIT soldiers in person.

At least 50 Vardezians materialized nearby on an airfield, where UNIT were running their operation from. Kate and Osgood also appeared - both caged by an electronic shield cage, in an unused hangar.

"This is my fault. I took my eye off what was happening around me and let these creatures go undetected." Because she had become sidetracked by one or two personal matters within her life, Kate hadn't fully become aware of just what UNIT was dealing with, three weeks ago. So much so, The Vardez had taken advantage by launching a couple of attacks, with the aim of igniting a fully fledged war with humans on Earth.

"So what?" Osgood's opening, adamant comment surprised her boss. "We all have our trials and tribulations in our lives. Doesn't mean we should blame ourselves for it. Doing what we do best, protecting our country is what matters the most."

"Three weeks of hearing you growing stronger in confidence has been quite a revelation. The other Osgood will be happy to know this, when you two are reunited with each other." Kate quietly held onto her suspicions of the fact - she genuinely believed she had spent three weeks as a captive alongside the Osgood, who use to be Bonnie.

Meanwhile The Doctor was now busy clapping his hands, applauding King Jagmar's failure to realize he was coming out second best, in this battle of minds confrontation.

"Why don't you call for your loyal soldiers. Get them to kill me...oh come on, do it!" He suggested with a half-tilt smirk, once he controlled his strange laughter.

The steadied manipulating and self-contempt looks King Jagmar eventually gave away to panic and regret. However, admitting defeat wouldn't be completely straightforward - as The Doctor would have liked to have seen his foe doing so.

Soon enough, contact was made to King Jagmar by his right-hand servant Cypog. "Jagmar, you must return to your ship. We need you. We're trapped without your command."

"If I was you, basically I'd do as your companion says." The Doctor said, as he strolled around his newest enemy like someone who's won the lottery.

"This isn't over Time Lord. You will see me again and I will strike down upon this planet with such force, you won't see coming." Contending with the combination of humans and this angry-faced looking alien who surprisingly bears the face of a human with funny shaped eyebrows, King Jagmar's plans on destroying this planet had derailed for the time being.

"Oh - I look forward to it and making sure it will be the last time, you arrive on this gloriously weird planet full of Amazing humans, humans who think of nothing more than to risk their own lives, in order to protect their beloved Earth,all in my absence." The Doctor more than happily guaranteed another victory for the people of Earth. With one final glare exchange; which the hideous looking creature ensured before he left the Time Lord standing alone, the creature then pressed two blue buttons on his slimy chest - signaling his intent to return to his ship.

The power of his materializing form, resulted in sending the Doctor flying backwards. His necklace locket almost snapped off, from the impact of the Vardez's powers. Through smart thinking, The Doctor placed it in the sleeve of his jacket. Thankfully he landed on a cushioned mattress in a skip nearby. Coming up with the idea for the exclusion zone hadn't been such a bad idea afterall.

While he dusted himself down and carefully climbed out from the skip. not far from where he was, Kate and Osgood were being released from the electronic shield cage, much to the relief of the other Osgood, who was standing in-between two UNIT soldiers.

 **xxx**

While Kate was taking time to recover from her ordeal and with the Doctor reunited with the TARDIS; the two Osgoods both felt they should say their goodbyes to him once again before he takes off in the TARDIS. "So you're off again? Alone this time?" The Osgood stood facing The Doctor, to the right-hand side, asks him.

"This time?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You shouldn't be traveling alone, not after everything that's happened." She thought he should never forget every single memory - of his time-traveling adventures with Clara.

The Osgood stood next to her, gestured to her not to say anything else, in case this invoked painful memories for him - of losing Clara.

The Doctor's mouth formed an ellipse, puckered pose as he tried to understand what she meant by these words. He glanced back and forth between the two twins, like a suspicious detective investigating a crime. Deep down he calmly convinced himself she knew something he didn't and this very thought briefly played at the back of his mind. The moment this thought vanished, his other thoughts suddenly switched to how he had left Bill and Nardole in the lurch back in Cardiff.

"No I shouldn't. Anyhow this reminds me I believe I might be needing to make a few apologies to two people. I've come to respect and admire." He wbegan to regret not contacting them sooner via the TARDIS control desk, right before UNIT/Osgood had managed to prevent him from doing so.

"Two new companions?" The Osgood stood to the left-hand side, asks him. She and her Zygon twin, express pleased looks upon learning The Doctor has made friends elsewhere.

The Doctor hadn't quite considered them as his companions just yet, knowing his hearts hadn't fully mended themselves, after the heartbreak of being parted from River and the moments of when he lost other companions throughout his past regenerations. He simply gave a nod of the head twice, his casual way of providing an answer to a question, he felt he wasn't quite confident enough to completely answer.

"Through future circumstances I'm certain the both of you will get the opportunity to meet my other two friends...hopefully they will both still consider me as a friend." The Doctor said with an awkward expression.

"One meeting, I know the both of us can't wait to find ourselves being a part of." Osgood on the left-hand side happily hints. Moments later they both individually hug their friend before he steps inside the Police Box. The two of them sigh with relief and feel thankful towards the Time Lord for saving the day once again. Within a matter of seconds the TARDIS disappears and shortly reappears in Bristol.

'The Old Girl' being her unpredictable self had taken him to the right city, when in fact he was intending to check if Bill and Nardole where still there in Cardiff. The Doctor peeked through the wooden doors and to his amazement he discovered, the TARDIS was now stationed outside Bristol University.

Before he left Bill and Nardole three weeks ago, he had happened to overhear her telling Nardole, when she wasn't trying to kick start a music career, she studied at Bristol University.

 **xxx**

"You were gone for almost a month. Not one word from you. You left poor Nardole here, having to take up volunteer work inside the University. So tell us then where exactly were you in...time and space Doctor?" Despite not being fully acquainted with him for more than five minutes, Bill hadn't felt best pleased because of his ability of not getting a lot of things precisely right and how he thrived on having many adventures while traveling through time unaccompanied.

"Where was I? Well that's ahem... a...a very long story..." The Doctor accepted the fact, he had plenty of explaining to do, as well as one or two answers to provide Bill and Nardole with. Nobody else known what naughty shenanigans he and River had engaged in together within the walls of Luna University. A knowing smile lingered on his lips as he quietly reflected on what occurred between him and River, before he got caught up in the Vardezs ill-fated actions.

 _The echoing sound of a woman moans could be heard throughout one of the hallways of Luna University. They were coming from River's study room. As her study room was based in a secluded part of the university, that was rarely accessed by students and professors. He felt pretty sure this room wasn't the same one he remembers visiting last time, in his previous younger body. Perhaps she had moved rooms, expecting he would be back to see her again at the University, how very right she was.  
_

 _In the bedroom, their clothes were scattered everywhere - over the nightstand, on the floor and over a wooden chair. Lust had clearly gripped hold of them and making up for lost time was important to the two of them. River was now gloriously naked and positioned above him, the sight of seeing her like this, brought a perfect smile to his lips. Meanwhile her love for him remained as stronger than ever. She moved her hips repeatedly back and forth, in doing so she could feel his bulge beneath her. She gently guided herself into him, knowing how this usually sends him into early overdrive, everytime they make love.  
_

 _He literally couldn't speak yet, seeing as her seduction of him was leaving him speechless. However there was one trick The Doctor held up his sleeve, one trick she wouldn't see coming. Suddenly he feels his eyes fixed on her and then feels both of his hands momentarily slip beneath the bed sheet, whatever he was up to as he gazed up lovingly into her eyes, she knew she was about to find out in the most enjoyable way imaginable.  
_

 _Out of nowhere; waves of electricity soon made their presence known, sizzling throughout her body and making her knees virtually turn to jelly.  
_

 _"Bet you didn't see this coming did you? A real turn out for the books." She hears his voice echoing in her mind. It was a feast for the ears, getting the pleasure of listening to the Scottish tones in her husband's voice._

 _He certainly played the game of seduction to a greater level remarkably well.  
_

 _She placed her fingers against his right cheek, this therefore enabled her to consciously communicate with him. "No I did not. You continue to astound me, my love."  
_

 _"Oh I intend to...believe me" He said with a reassuring glint in his eye. While he resorted to making every effort possible to satisfy her in more ways than one, The Doctor enveloped his arm protectively around her waist and wasted no time by eventually moving inside her. She was a screamer and quite a rowdy one she was too, that of course he had known from having spent the last 24 years of his life on Darillium with his beautiful beloved River. Where they managed to make up for lost time, during every day of their life on that memorable planet.  
_

 _"Ohh my love..." She gasped breathlessly in his mind and then aloud. For The Doctor, it was a magnificent and incredible feeling to hear her husky voice inside his mind and from the outside as well. She dug her nails into the back of his strong left shoulder as she rocked her hips harder. Tears prickled beneath his lashes as they made love. He was sure she would question him again because she didn't like any secrets being kept from her - yet she didn't.  
_

 _They flipped positions; River now found herself lying underneath him and The Doctor above him. He was now flashing that mischievous grin, one which always left her heart aflutter every-time she caught a glimpse of it. The loud noises coming from outside were unsurprisingly drowned out, as the couple encouraged each other on, to greater levels of pleasure. As she leans in to kiss those beautiful lips of his, she slowly slipped her hands down to rest over his bum and caresses it roughly._

 _"Now that was uncalled for." He tells her, as his eyes were taking note of her flustered cheeks._

 _"Sweetie, you were thriving too much on the enjoyment of frustrating me. So you needed reminding me about how I'm far from being the good, innocent wife whenever we're together."_

 _"You don't need to tell me. Anyway you know by now, I'm not a fan of approving of the things you get up to when I'm not looking. But then again, when I find you flirting with someone else, you know how it makes me very jealous and annoyed." He hints with a knowing smirk._

 _"Exactly. Besides most men I've flirted with, have the personality of a frog."_

 _"Frogs?" He laughs, her excuse sounded a bit unusual. "The truth is, I just love you for being my beautiful, funny and clever wife, as well as being my savior." He reminds her, of how she means so much to him._

 _She's so overjoyed, feeling lucky enough to witness this mature and adorable side of him. Many times on Darillium he hadn't opened up to her too often, she had asked herself, if it was as a result of him being trapped in the Confession Dial, something which he described to her, 14 years into their 24 year date. He had told her this story twice in total - how he was driven by madness and grief whilst he was stuck there. He admitted he didn't know for sure what events had happened before all of this and was therefore responsible for causing his grief in the first place._

 _She felt his chin rest comfortably across the top of her left shoulder and his chest firmly press against hers. His breathing was heavy and hot as the two of them rode the last of their pleasure together in awe. She craved the feel of him deep inside her - the rush of excitement and sweet sensation was enough to leave her wanting more. They held onto each other tightly, their moans filling the room louder than ever. Listening to her moans felt like a joy of cosmic proportions, for him._

 _Everytime they had given into the glory of passion, The Doctor had certainly become well accustomed to the skin on skin contact. His newest body had now undeniably experienced sadness and suffering, however through time he was eventually able to mend his two hearts and then allow himself to fall head over heels in love again with River._

 _Moments after the both of them collapsed back on the bed, River was snuggled up in his arms. The curls of her hair were tickling his rosy tinted cheeks._

 _"River your hair..." He chuckles, knowing her hair would occasionally have the habit of, getting in the way most of the time when they laid in bed together._

 _"I thought you enjoyed my hair tickling your cheek?"_

 _"Of course I do. Hair's my weakness, even my own hair is."_

 _"Oh Sweetie, your hair's fine just the way it is."_

 _"Then why make a fuss about it, my love?"_

 _"You know I can't tell you how much I've missed us being together, how we should be, how we we're meant to be...during our 24 years night date." He says, softly with a mixed look of emotion and devotion. Surely she knew he worshipped the grounds she walked upon. He got a quiet answer, soon as she whispered a pretty predictable enough answer._

 _"Don't blame yourself. Our 24 years together on Darillium was heaven for me and I know it was for you too. I know this because you've got that 'I wish I'd done more' look across your face." She tells him. It's unclear whether she's sussed out the reasons for why he was feeling a bit emotional._

 _"So you heard my thoughts?" He asks out loud upon realizing she knows what he was consciously thinking._

 _"Yes. I find it's extremely easy for me, to quietly remain inside your mind."_

 _"River! you do know that's an very inappropriate thing to do, quietly delving into someone's mind unannounced."_

 _She smartly feigned outrage at his comment. "You seduced me by inviting yourself inside my mind, so... I believe this is my sort-of way of returning the favour, by inviting myself into your mind." She knew he was only saying this because he was in a flirtatious, curious mood._

 _A wry, impressed smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Oh, she knew him far too well. As a reward, he closed the gap between them and placed the most tenderness of kisses across her forehead. Once he pulled away, his eyes gazed into hers for what felt like considerably long period of time._

 _"Lux will come looking for me soon, if he knows I haven't left my archaeology equipment at his office."_

 _"Never mind what Lux thinks. Anyway he sounds like a buffoon, someone who needs to have a better social life instead of bossing people around ."_

 _"I do wish you stop looking into my mind again Sweetie because I was thinking the exact same thing." She surprised him by pinching his left bicep. Of course, she had gotten use to running her hands over his toned biceps and who could blame her?_

 _He hadn't quite told her how long he was hoping to stay at the University for. He believed she wouldn't be best pleased, if she knew he was planning to stay there with her for the next 22-23 hours, while she was meant to be packing for her trip to the Library._

"Oh that's brilliant Doctor. You got the chance to spend another day with Professor Song." Nardole was back to his cheerful self once more, soon as he heard his friend's reasons for timing his return wrongly. "I see you received a gift from her too. A token of her love?" It didn't take long for Nardole to spot the necklace dangling and sparkling around his friend's neck, which appeared to be covered in at least three lovebites.

The Doctor nods before proceeding to further explaining what else had actually happened during his day long stay at the University.

 _Once dressed, the couple spent the next 10 hours touring the different facilities of what Luna's University had to offer for it's new students, graduates and Professors. Honestly though, most of these facilities had a rather modern and dull look about them. Nothing looked futuristic whatsoever about the University itself, for most of the time he spent gazing thoughtfully at her, he was wishing he could whisk her away from the forthcoming events of the Library. Remembering what his younger self knew, River's team didn't have any knowledge of what they were dealing with other than Lux himself. Yet he knew he couldn't trick fate, by acting on some last-minute plan, in order to delay her trip to this planet._

 _When they eventually returned to her study, after going on a spur-of-the-moment picnic - The Doctor's suggestion of course. She was starting to become convinced he was considering asking her to accompany him to Gallifrey's sister planet Donalfrey. During their blissful 24 years on Darillium, he had told her the story of this planet, which nobody not even The Daleks or The Cybermen were even aware of themselves._

 _They made love again as the clock struck the final hour, an hour before the 24 hour mark. Having sex in bed wasn't an option this time, they had only made it as far as the fluffy carpet rug. Now whilst the two of them were both out of breath, T_ _he Doctor held River in his arms as they laid beneath a blanket, which she had draped over them. Soon as he fell asleep, River crawled out from the blanket and got dressed. She hadn't told him, her expedition trip was actually meant to be today. She kneels down and presses_ _a goodbye kiss on the top of his forehead. A tear forms in the corner of her left eye because she knew saying goodbye to him again was going to be so difficult._

 _She leaves him a note and a necklace, with some form of magic fragrance concealed inside it. When he awakens 40 or so minutes, The Doctor's left confused to find his wife isn't anywhere to be seen in the room._

 _"River! River! Where are you?" he calls out but no answer is given, no matter how many times he calls her name. He jumps up; he's only wearing his socks and flashing his arse, even that would be enough to draw her out from hiding - if she had actually chosen to hide from him._

 _The Doctor casually retrieves his clothes, scattered throughout the study room and from the floor. Soon as he's done this, he heads towards the doorway but something in his Gallifreyan mind tells him, to retrace everything in the room that his eyes haven't been drawn to yet. Following his gut instinct, he retraced certain perfectly placed items he hadn't known were there, since he arrived 24 hours earlier. Soon enough, he came across an envelope, which was next to his Sonic Screwdriver - how it got there in the first place, he didn't have the faintest of ideas._

 _Anyway he picked up the envelope, as his eyebrows were arched in a curious manner. He opened the envelope and began reading what message River had obviously handwritten. She tells him, she's terribly sorry for leaving at short notice and that she hopes he can forgive her, for putting her archaeology work first. She also mentions she's left him, a necklace which contains a lipstick smudge and pocket of sonic magic. He finds that the necklace is also in the envelope and slips his hand inside it before eventually trying it on around his neck._

 _The Doctor closes his eyes in brief concentration. The feel of the necklace helps him to relax better and feel less emotional. He quietly leaves her study room._

"Can't believe she left you without saying goodbye." Bill shook her head, she looked unimpressed.

"She has her reasons, I can't exactly stop her from carrying out what she hopes to achieve in her archaeological career." The Doctor defended his wife's choices. He didn't inform them of what he knows, will happen next in River's timeline.

"I wouldn't argue with him Bill. The Doctor always wins an argument, even after someone makes the mistake of starting one with him." Nardole thought she say nothing more than she's already said. Bill nodded her head, showing she understood what he meant.

"Bill how would you like to take another step back in time...or to the future"

"What are you trying to say?"

"A trip of your choosing. Anywhere, wherever you want in time. What time period you'd like the TARDIS to take you."

"Well come to think it. I've always wanted to visit the 1980's, attend one of Prince's or Madonna's pop concerts." Bill reveals the moment in time, she has always wished to see for herself, although she had convinced herself it wouldn't happen - yet now, seeing as the Doctor had suggested a trip, she was more than happy to jump at the chance of making this finally happen for real.

The Doctor and Nardole exchanged "Really?" looks between each other but inviting her back inside the TARDIS. Before The Doctor stepped back inside the TARDIS, he glanced down at the necklace and studied the glow of the sonic magic floating around inside it's tiny pocket. He smiled, thoughtfully before going to rejoin Bill and Nardole in the Police Box.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are welcome**


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